As processor power in televisions have increased, so to has the complexity of the remote control units used to control the television and peripheral devices connected to the television. From an initial device having channel up and down buttons, volume up and down buttons and a numeric keypad, the conventional remote control unit has grown into a complicated behemoth with multiple function keys including, e.g., but not limited to, channel up and down, volume up and down, numeric keypad, device, device menu, TV menu, guide, info, PIP/POP, cursor, select, last, list, record, stop, pause, fastforward, rewind, source, input, and the like. As a result, operation of the remote control and the control of the television is often fraught with difficulty and frustration.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus and method that is easy to use and that facilitates the control of a television and peripheral devices connected to the television.